Pires stunner keeps Arsenal on top

Kewell fired Liverpool in front Story Tools

LIVERPOOL, England -- Robert Pires guaranteed Arsenal staying top of the Premier League with a stunning strike that condemned Liverpool to 2-1 home defeat at Anfield on Saturday.

The French midfield maestro drifted in from the left after 68 minutes before curling a pinpoint shot past the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek.

His goal capped a dramatic transformation in a match that Liverpool threatened to dominate after Harry Kewell gave the hosts the lead.

The Australian's 14th-minute goal came with a low, left-foot shot from the edge of the area.

Despite dominating possession before the interval Liverpool were pegged back on the half hour when Brazilian defender Edu's glancing header from a Pires free kick found the net via Sami Hyypia's foot.

Pires sealed the win and there was a further blow when Liverpool's England striker Michael Owen was substituted midway through the second half with an ankle injury.

That will be another major worry for the national side ahead of next Saturday's critical Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey in Istanbul.

Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier said that when Owen came off the pitch, the England striker said he feared he had broken his ankle.

"I didn't think so though, because if there was a break or a fracture he wouldn't have been walking," the Frenchman said.

"He's had an x-ray which revealed there was no fracture. He's due to have a scan tomorrow so we'll know then.

"If it's just a muscle problem then in three or four days he should be all right. If it's a ligament problem then of course that's more serious."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger acknowledged his side could have been dead and buried by halftime saying: "They could have been two or three goals up."

He added: "We had to show all the qualities we have in our squad. In the first half, resilience and hanging on, and in the second half it was about closing people down."

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